Use of airborne vehicles for military surveillance and communication platforms is well known in the art. Lighter-than-air balloons were initially used to observe enemy forces to obtain battlefield intelligence. Aerostats of today perform essentially the same function and may also facilitate communications between distant forces by relaying information utilizing the aerostat as a communications platform. AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) planes can perform some of the same functions.
The use of aerostats is problematic inasmuch as they are usually tethered to a ground location and for the most part are stationary. In other words, aerostats are not easily moved from one location to another once they are deployed. It is also difficult to position, deploy and retrieve aerostats in inclement weather. And known self-powered aerostats must be retrieved for re-fueling. Accordingly, any communications link provided by such an aerostat is unavailable during re-fueling. Airplanes that provide communication platforms can move about, but they must be continually refueled and as such cannot stay aloft for extended periods of time. Airplanes are also somewhat limited in the altitude that they can reach to facilitate long range communications. And due to lack of fly-over rights and needed regional support facilities, some areas may not be conducive to use of airplanes with communications equipment.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an unmanned aerial vehicle that is easily deployed and that can stay aloft at high altitudes for extended periods of time. There is also a need for such a vehicle that is retrievable and that can be re-deployed after minimal servicing.